Seems like you got a good start :)You can meet local investors both on this site, by being active in the forums, making connections with local investors, and even better by attending local events or real estate meetings.

Staying active on these forums and listening to podcasts can help you as well :)

The building is vacant now and is right across the street from a college campus and is surrounded by student rentals.  

I don't want to build a team of investors yet but just myself and friend of mine decide to be active investors is there a need to have an attorney close the deal?

trulia.com - look at crime rates, street views of properties, GIS driven data for house values, previous price pointsrentometer.com - use free searches to determine average rent in an area based on the address and number of bedroomsIs the property generally rentable or sellable in that area?

Not sure of condition or current tenants, but is it crazy to actively pursue this one for a first property?  

*Note: this post is intended for investors who actively DO NOT automatically file a 1040 every year, unless they've incurred a tax liability.I'm wondering what difficulties investors who understand (have read the pertinent details of the tax code) have faced when engaging in investment opportunities that normally require an investor to furnish tax returns, and what solutions have they come up with.From my experience in banking, I understand that institutional lenders normally require a borrower to furnish yearly personal financial statements and tax returns.

A triplex sold down the street for $285,000 and a duplex a block away is pending sale at $229,000, and researching what the rents are, both came in around 1% of the sale price.

Usually you get an open-topped dumpster and put it in the driveway or maybe along the street. 

I would start there or check loopnet and see which brokers are really active, especially in the 20 unit range you're in and call them for a referral.